Joel Embiid Now Eligible for Super-Max Extension

Prior to Tuesday’s pivotal game 5 between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA announced its All-NBA teams. Typical to most seasons, the results sparked instant debates among the basketball community. 

One debate leading up to the announcement revolved around the center position. Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid were two of the top players in the league this season. Both players deserved to make the All-NBA first team. Traditionalists felt there was only room for one and that neither should be listed in one of the forward positions. 

In the end, no exception was made. Jokic found himself on the first team, while Embiid, the runner-up for MVP, headlined the second team. 

Some fans don’t put much stock into this accolade, but it can drastically impact a player’s earning potential. Because of his All-NBA nomination, Embiid is now in line to sign a super-max extension with the Sixers.  

Embiid is currently in the third year of a five-year, $147 million deal, but the two sides can begin negations on an extension. A super-max extension for Embiid currently projects at four years, $191 million. The contract would kick in following the 2023 season. 

The two sides are almost guaranteed to come to terms on an agreement. Embiid has said on multiple occasions he wants to finish his career in Philadelphia, and the Sixers should be in no rush to move on from their franchise cornerstone. 

If Embiid inks the super-max, it will be another incredible achievement for his storied career. He continues to defy the odds after all the doubt that clouded the early days of his life in the NBA. 

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.